Apparatus for settling material in containers



Feb. 21, 1933. I BELCHER 1,898,284

APPARATUS FOR SETTLING MATERIAL IN CONTAINERS Filed June .25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z; DAN/EL 55L CHEE P) I ATTv/Q'NEYJ Feb. 21 1933. D. BELCHER APPARATUS FOR SETTLING MATERIAL IN CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1951 ATTOENQQ 'Feb. 21, 1933. D. BELCHER 1,898,284

APPARATUS FOR SETTLING MATERIAL IN CONTAINERS Filed June 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fizl/enfor DAN/EL BEL CHEE Feb. 21, 1933. D. BELCHER APPARATUS FOR SETTLING MATERIAL IN CONTAINERS Filed June 25,1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w I m I I a 2 :Ill

I r g ///m/1 Patented Feb. 21,1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL IBELGHER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO IBEHIB BRO. BAG 60-,

.0! MINNEAPOLIS, EINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI APPARATUS NB SETTLIFG MATERIAL 1N GONTAMBS Application filed June as,

This invention relates to an improved apparatus adapted for use to impart 'a vibratory or shaking motion to a filled container to settle the material therein prior to the closing and sealing thereof.

An object of the invention is'to provide a simple and inexpensive machine adapted for use to settle finely divided material such,

for example, as flour, in containers or bags before the open tops thereof are closed and sealed.

A further object is to provide a bag shaker comprising a frame having a plate mounted therein and provided with means forimparting a vibratory motion thereto whereby the material in bags moving over said plate will become settled therein.

A further object is to provide a bag shaker comprising a frame havln a plate supported at its ends therein, and lavmg means connected with an intermediate portion thereof adapted to flex said plate in rapid succession one end of said plate adapted to feed the containers or bags onto the plate in such a fashion that the containers or bags delivered 7 onto said plate from said feeding means will engage preceding bags and pushthem along over said plate, whereby the material therein will become settled because of the vibratory motion imparted to the plate.

Other objects of the invention reside in the mounting of the plate in the main supporting frame and the means provided for.

flexing said plate to impart a vibratory motion thereto; in the arrangement of the horizontally disposed feedbelt whereon the bags to be vibrated may be'placed directly from the bag filling or packing mach ne; in the arrangement of the side belts which cooperatewitli the feed belt to forcibly feed the filled bags onto the vibratory plate, whereby 1981. Serial No. 546,796.

the bags as they are successively discharged from said belts will engage preceding bags and move them along over said vibratory plate; and in the novel construction and arrangement ofthe operating mechanism which provides the utmost in simplicity. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings'and will be pointed out 1n the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood thatv the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made 'within the scope of the claims which follow.

'In the drawings: 4

Figure 1 is a lon 'tudinal sectional view on the line 1--1 of Figure 2 showing the general constructionof the machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view showing a portion of the top of the vibratory plate;

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the means for driving the horizontally disposed belt;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1, showing the means for imparting a vibratory motion to the plate; and a Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 1, showing the means for operating the side belts.

The novel machine herein disclosed comprises a main supporting frame composed of upper longitudinally extending side rails 2 and 3, connected together at their ends by cross rails 4 and 5. The rails 2, 3, 4, and 5 are supported upon suitable legs 7, 8, and 9, as best shown in Figure 1.

A feature of this invention resides in the means provided for imparting a vibratory motion to the filled bags as they pass through the machine. Such means consists of a plate 7 frame by suitable brackets 15, as best shown in Figure 5. Suitable transverse recesses 20 may be provided in the under surface of the plate 11 to permit it to be more readily flexed, as will subsequently be described.

Suitable strips 16 are adjustably secured to the top face of the plate 11 by suitable slotted brackets 17, each adapted to receive a screw 18 received in threaded engagement with the late, as will be understood by reference to Figure 3. The strips 16 preferably extend substantially the entire length of the vibratory plate 11, as shown in Figure 2. Side guards 19, provided with outwardly extending brackets 21, are adjustably supported upon suitable standards 22 by means of bolts 23, received in elongated apertures 24 rovided in the outwardly extending brac ets 21. The standards 22 are suitably secured to the side rails 2 and 3 of the main sup orting frame, as best shown in Figure 5. e side guards 19, because of the slots 24, may be relatively adjusted so as to adapt the machine for bags of various sizes. In like manner, the spacing between the strips 16 may be varied to suit the size of the bag.

The means provided for imparting a vibratory motion to the plate 11 is best shown in Figures 1 and 5, and comprises a connecting rod 25 having its upper end pivotally connected to the bottom of the plate 11 by a suitable bracket 26 and pin 27. The lower end of the connecting rod 25 engages an eccentric 28 provided upon a main operating shaft 29, mounted in suitable bearings 31, and a gear housing 32, as shown in Figure 1.- The bearings 31 are mounted upon cross members 33 forming a part of a sub-frame 35, upon which a motor 36 is mounted. This motor is rovided with a small sheave 37 having a bel t 38 connecting it with a relatively larger sheave 39, secured to the shaft 29. A suitable fly wheel 41 is preferably secured to the operating shaft 29 between the sheave 39 and the adjacent bearing 31.

Another feature of the invention resides in the means provided for moving the container or bags over the vibratory plate 11 during the operation of the machine. The means provided for thus moving the bags over the plate 11 consists of a horizontally disposed feed belt 42, the outer surface of which preferably is corrugated transversely of the belt, as shown in Figure 2, so as to frictionally engage the bottoms of the bags and feed them onto the plate 11. The belt 42 is supported upon suitablerollers 43 and 44, the latter being secured to a shaft 45 mounted in bearings 46 and 47 secured to the upper portion of the supporting frame. A spiral gear 48 is secured to the shaft 45 and constantly meshes with a similar gear 49 secured to an upright shaft 51, mounted in suitable bearings, and having a worm gear 52 secured to the lower end thereof. This worm gear meshes with a worm wheel 53 secured to the main operating shaft 29, whereby when the shaft 29 is rotated, a relatively slower rotary movement will be imparted to the upright shaft 51. A similar upright shaft 51 is provided at the opposite side of the main supporting frame which also has a worm gear 52 secured to the lower end thereof meshing with the worm 53. The worm gears 52 and worm 53 are shown enclosed within the easin" 32 which preferably is oil tight.

lulleys 54 are secured to the upper ends of the shafts 51 and are adapted to cooperate with a pair of idler pulleys 55 to support a pair of side belts 50 which are so arranged as to cooperate with the feed belt 42 to feed the filled bags onto the vibrating plate 11.

The idler pulleys 55 and a pair of relatively smaller idlers 56 are mounted for lateral adjustment whereby the machine may be adapted to different sizes of bags. The pulleys 55 and 56 at each side of the belt 42 are mounted on suitable brackets 57 adjustably secured to the upper lonigtudinally extending side rails of the main supporting frame whereby they may be relatively moved thereon to position the idler pulleys 55 and 56 the proper distance apart to suit the diameter of the bags which are to be vibrated. Each bracket 57 is shown provided with a pair of relatively large openings 58 adapted to be traversed by bolts 59 passing through apertures provided in the upper horizontal flanges of the side rails 2 and 3, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. Guide members 61 may be adjustably secured to the side rails 2 and 3 adjacent to the side belts 50, and are adapted to be engaged by the lower corners of the bag and thus prevent the latter from relatively rotating or turning, during movement of the bags through the feeding means, including the belts 42 and 50. The guide members 61 are shown adjustably supported by means of suitable brackets 62 having elongated openings 63 therein traversed by bolts 64 whereby they may be clamped in adjusted positions upon the side rails 2 and 3.

The novel bag shaker featured in this invention has been found particularly useful when employed in connection with bag closing and sealing machines of the general type disclosed in my co-pending applications, Se-' rial No. 451,702, filed May 12, 1930, and Serial No. 514,540, filed February 9, 1931.

When filling small bags with flour or other finely ground material, it is usually necessary to provide some means for settling the material in the bags before they are closed and sealed, especially if the bags have been filled with freshly ground flour. Flour, when freshly ground, has the inherent characteristic of containing more or less air which is entrained with the flour as it is delivered into the bag. This air, and also because of the fact that the small particles constituting the disclosed in my above mentioned co-pending applications, are substantially cylindrical in cross section, when filled, and when they are received from the filling or packing machine, the material is usually heaped u m the center of the bag. substantially as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 5. When the filled bags are passed through the novel machine 1 herein disclosed, a slight vibratory or shakingmotion is im arted thereto, as they move along over the p ate 11, whereby the material therein becomes settled, andalso the flour which is heaped up in the bags will settle downwardly substantially to the full line position shown in Figure 5. When the flour is thus settled in the bags, the latter may be conveniently and neatly closed and sealed by suitable bag closing and sealing machines, and the bags, when completed, will present a very neat appearance.

An important feature of the invention resides in the flexing of the intermediate portion of the plate 11 whereby the end portions thereof will remain substantially in alinement with the line of travel of the upper run of the feed belt 42, and also with the plate 65 provided at the tail end of the machine, as

shown'in Figure 1. By thus arranging the vibratory plate 11, the filled bags may be deout interference, and the bags will travel along over the top surface of the plate 11, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, one bag pushing another. The machine is very simple and inexpensive in construction and may be manufactured at a very-small cost. In use, the machine may be interposed between a flour packer and a bag closing and sealing machine so that the filledbags may be delivered from the packer directly onto the feed belt 42, whereby they will be moved over the vibratory plate 11 until the bags assume a position on the receiving plate 65 at the tail 'end of the machine. From this plate, the bags may be placed in 'a suitable bag closing and sealing machine to have their open tops closed and sealed.

In the drawings, I have shown the plate .11 supported at both ends. In some instances, however, it may be found desirable to support it from one end only, and the connecting rod 25 may then be connectedwith the opposite end of the plate. When thus arranged,

, it may also he found desirable to dispense 65 with the pivot 14 and fixedly secure that end livered thereonto by the belts 42 and 50 witha of the plate to the cross member 5 of the mam frame so as to cause the plate to flex,

when the connecting rod is operated. It may also-be found desirable to use V-shaped or round belts in lieu of the flat belts"50.-50,

shown in the drawings.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bag shaker, a frame, a plate supported at its ends therein, a horizontally disposed belt alined with said plate, a vertically disposed belt at each side of said horizontally disposed belt, said vertically disposed belts being operatively connected with said horizontally disposed belt and cooperating therewith to feed filled containers onto and over said plate, and means for flexing an intermediate portion of said plate and thereby impart a vibratory movement thereto, whereby filled containers movin over said plate will be agitated to cause the material therein to become settled.

2. In a'bag shaker, a frame, a plate supported at its ends therein, guards arranged at the sides of said'plate and substantially arallel thereto, a horizontally disposed feed elt alined with said plate, belts mounted at the sides of said feed belt in substantially parallel relation thereto and cooperating with said feed belt to feed the filled containers onto and over said plate, means for operating said belts, and means for flexing an intermediate portion of said plate and thereby impart a vibratory movement thereto, whereby filled containers moving'over said plate between said side guards will be agitated to cause the material therein to become settled.

3. In an apparatus for settling material in containers, a frame, a flexible plate supported at its ends therein, guards arranged at the sides of said plate and substantially parallel thereto, a horizontally disposed feed belt alined with said plate and adapted to feed filled containers onto and over said plate, means for operating said belt, and means for flexing an intermediate portion of said plate and thereby imparting a vibratory movement ,thereto, whereby filled containers moving over said plate between sa'd side guards will be agitated to cause the material therein to become settled. i

4. In an ap aratus for settling material in containers, a. rame, a flexible plate supported at its ends therein and over which filled containers may be fed, suitable guides disposed at the sides of said plate to prevent the containers from tipping aterally thereon, a

feed belt longitudinally alined with said in containers, 9. frame, a flexible plate supported at its ends therein, suitable guides disposed at the sides of said plate to prevent the containers from tipping laterally thereon, a feed belt longitudinally alined with said plate and adapted to feed filled containers onto and over the plate, means for driving the belt, and eccentric means for imparting a jarless vibratory movement to an intermediate portion of said plate, whereby filled containers traveling over the plate will be agitated to cause the material therein to become settled.

6. In an apparatus for settling material in containers, a frame, a flexible plate having its ends pivotally supported in said frame and over which filled containers may be fed, guides at the sides of said plate to prevent the containers from tipping laterally thereon, means by which filled containers may be fed onto and over said plate, and means connected with an intermediate portion of said plate and adapted to impart a jarless vibratory movement thereto, whereby filled containers traveling over said plate may be agitated to cause the material therein to become settled.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto hand this 23rd day of June, 1931.

DANIEL BELCHER.

set my 

